Giridhar's Blog

The dawn of a new era in hard disk drives (HDDs) is upon us. After years of static performance, Western Digital has made a significant breakthrough in pushing HDDs toward SSD (solid-state drive) territory. This seismic shift in storage technology has the potential to disrupt the entire industry and offer users unprecedented performance and efficiency. The Era of Stagnation Ends In the past decade, the advancements in hard disk drives (HDDs) were meager, with improvements primarily focused on increasing storage capacity rather than enhancing performance. However, the introduction of high-speed serial storage interfaces such as SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) and SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) provided a glimmer of hope. Western Digital, a pioneer in the HDD industry, has now taken this vision to the next level, incorporating innovative technologies to elevate HDD performance to unprecedented heights. Visionary Innovations Western Digital's groundbreaking innovations, backed...

In a significant milestone for the tech giant, Apple has achieved its highest-ever share of the US smartphone market, pushing its sales past a record-breaking level. According to Counterpoint Research, the US smartphone market saw minimal growth in the fourth quarter of 2025, with sales increasing by just 1%. However, Apple managed to buck this trend, securing its best sales quarter to date and widening the gap with its primary competitor, Samsung. Mid-Range Sales Propel Apple Ahead Counterpoint attributes Apple's success in the US market to strong sales of the iPhone 16e and 17 in the mid-range segment, which saw a 27% year-over-year growth. The iPhone 16e, in particular, recorded its highest sales month to date in December, highlighting the increasing popularity of premium devices in the US market. The company's promotional activities at major US carriers, including AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, also contributed to its success. Apple's focus on the mid-range segment ha...

As the world grapples with the exponential growth of AI, a revolutionary concept is about to disrupt the status quo. SpaceX, the pioneering space exploration company founded by Elon Musk, is merging its AI startup, xAI, into its rocket and satellite business. This bold move signifies a significant shift in the company's direction, with a focus on developing orbital data centers for scalable AI compute. Orbital Data Centers: The Future of AI Compute? Orbital data centers, essentially a network of satellites in low Earth orbit, promise to provide an unprecedented level of scalability and efficiency for AI research and development. By harnessing the power of the sun and utilizing advanced computing architectures, these orbital data centers could become the cheapest and most sustainable option for large-scale AI computations. This could have far-reaching implications for various industries, from healthcare and finance to manufacturing and transportation. Raising the Bar for...

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has been a game-changer for various industries, and its impact on the workplace is no exception. In just two short years, the use of AI in the workplace has tripled, with tech and finance leading the charge. This trend is not only a reflection of the growing importance of AI in driving business success but also a testament to the increasing willingness of organizations to adopt and integrate AI into their operations. The Rise of AI in the Workplace The increasing adoption of AI in the workplace can be attributed to several factors, including the growing need for automation and efficiency. As businesses face mounting pressure to innovate and stay competitive, they are turning to AI to help streamline processes, enhance decision-making, and improve customer experiences. Moreover, the availability of affordable and accessible AI tools has made it easier for organizations to implement AI solutions and reap their benefits. AI is being us...

The autonomous driving revolution, championed by tech giants like Tesla and Waymo, has been touted as a vision for a safer, more efficient, and more convenient future of transportation. However, the latest reports on Tesla's Robotaxi fleet are casting a shadow on this ambitious goal. Since the introduction of its autonomous test fleet in Austin, Texas, Tesla's Robotaxis have been involved in a staggering number of crashes, sparking concerns about the reliability of autonomous technology. Crash-Filled Reality Check According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Tesla's Robotaxis have experienced an alarming rate of crashes. Between July and November of 2025, nine incidents were reported to NHTSA, resulting in a crash frequency of approximately one every 55,000 miles traveled. This is a staggering deviation from the industry average, where human drivers in the United States report a crash roughly once every 500,000 miles, or even once eve...